Backlist Gem: The Library at Mount Char

I read The Library at Mount Char by Scott Hawkins back when it came out [2015] for a LJ column on the top debuts of the year. It has stayed with me. It is one of those backlist gems that I still hand out to patrons regularly. And, it is back in the Horror conversation these days because it is being released in England for the first time.

This week, Neil McRobert interviewed Hawkins about the book on his Talking Scared podcast. It was a great listen.

In 2015, I also invited Hawkins to participate in my "Why I Love Horror" blog series. You can read his essay here.

I went to check my Goodreads and saw that I read this novel so long ago that my annotation was lost in my conversion to Goodreads [from Shelfari] so I went back and updated it. I have my original 2015 annotation and more. You can read the review on Goodreads at this link or below. 

The enduring readability and love for this novel is a great example of why the backlist is the library worker's best friend as they serve leisure readers. 

Suggest The Library at Mount Char or another older title to a reader today. Your patron will thank you and you will showcase how instrumental the library is to connect readers with a good read.

My Goodreads review:

Three Words That Describe This Book: epic, menacing, unconventional 

Here is what I wrote in 2015 to handsell this title to librarians.

Sometimes you just need a thrilling, terrifying dark fantasy epic story to put you in the Halloween mood; a book that delivers a little bit of everything that reminds us of why a well spun scary story can also be one of the best books you read all year. The Library at Mount Char by Scott Hawkins crafts a world in which a God like figure known as “Father” has abducted a group of children and raised them in his “Library” outside the bounds of normal time and space. Carolyn, our protagonist, is the Librarian of Languages, and after years of study, she can speak them all. Now in their 30s, the children have all mastered their subjects, but when Father goes missing, other Gods are battling for power, and the fate of the universe is thrown into chaos. Carolyn must take control with the help of an ex-con and a war hero, but are her intentions for the good of all mankind, or just to put herself in power. This intricate, compelling, and menacing novel is reminiscent of Neil Gaiman’s masterpiece, American Gods.  And when you combine the story with that title, this will not be a hard sell at your library.

Updated Readalikes: I feel like when Mount Char came out the only comp was American Gods. But since, I have seen many more readalike options be released. N.K. Jemisin's Broken Earth Trilogy is a great example. Also an upcoming release-- No Gods for Drowning by Hailey Piper which I just reviewed for LJ is an EXCELLENT readalike here.

Other readalikes: No Gods, No Monsters by Turnbull. And those who like darkest parts of Erin Morgenstern-- especially The Starless Sea.

What I have learned as I have passed this book on to people over the last 7 years is that it was very ahead of its time. Yes, it has held up over time, but it is more than that. This is a book that foreshadowed a new type of horror.

It also garnered multiple star reviews at the time. 

Here is a quote from the star Kirkus review which I think sums it up well [via NoveList]:

"Like the Library itself, the book  is bigger, darker, and more dangerous than it seems. The plot never flags, and it's never predictable. Hawkins has created a fascinating, unusual world in which ordinary people can learn to wield breathtaking powerand he's also written a compelling story about love and revenge that never loses sight of the human emotions at its heart. A wholly original, engrossing, disturbing, and beautiful book . You've never read anything quite like this, and you won't soon forget it."

I have never forgotten it. Glad it is back on the front burner.